Propelling device



J n- 7, 1936.] E. .5. SMITH 2,026,911

'PROPELLING DEVICE Filed April 17, 1934 2 SheetsSheet 1 MINIMUM/11 INVENTOR/ Emu f/ousEkSmn-a BY A TTORNEYS.

Jan. 7, 1936. E H, MlTH 2,026,917

PROPELLING DEVICE Filed April 17, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR EARL HOUSER SMITH ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PROPELLING DEVICE Earl House: Smith, Flushing, N. Y. Application April 17,1934, Serial No. 720,919

14 Claims.

This invention has general relation to propellers and, while not necessarily restricted to such' use, the same is primarily concerned with propelling devices for air-craft.

' Propellers for air-craft which have heretofore been in use, have lacked considerable in efficiency which is mainly attributed to the fact that the propeller blades follow in the wake of one another and create such a disturbance or turbulence as to seriously interfere with the propulsive force exerted, it being common knowledge that only the extreme outer ends or tip portions of the blades exert any appreciable propulsive force.

t It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved propeller in which this interference is materially overcome by so mounting and moving the blades with reference to each other that each blade throughout substantially its entire length acts upon an undisturbed medium to obtain a highly efficient propulsive force. 7 I

The invention more particularly comprehends a propelling device including a driven rotary hub and circumferentially spaced blades each of which protrudes from the hub in a generally radial direction with means for imparting movement to the blades so as to cause the same to respectively travel in conical paths, while moving bodily with the hub about itsaxis of rotation.

The invention further contemplates a propelling device of the indicated character which, due to its construction and arrangement, and the for-' ward movement of the craft on which it is mounted, 'causes any selected point on the blades to travel'in a succession of contiguous arcs while following a generally spiral path.

More specifically the' invention embodies a driven rotary shaft, a hub secured to the shaft for rotation therewith, a gear concentric to and fixed with reference to the shaft and hub, circumferentially spaced blades'protruding in a generallyradial direction through the hub, an eccentric for each blade mounted to turn in the hub on radial axes perpendicular to the shaft and hub axes, and planetary gears meshing with the fixed gear and connected with the eccentrics for turning the same upon rotation of the shaft and hub.

The invention 'further resides in a propelling device of the indicated character which is not unduly complicated in its structure, which may be economically produced, which possesses the requisite strength and which is highly eflicient for its intended'purpose.

- there has been illustrated by way of example a preferred embodiment of the invention, while the 5 appended claims cover variations and modifications thereof which fall within their scope.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a propeller constructed in accordance with the present inven- 10 tion.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view with the hub casing removed to disclose the gearing arrangement.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the propeller taken approximately on the line 15 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view there through taken approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 3-. i

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken approxi-20 mately on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, l0 designates a driven rotary propeller shaft which extends through a fixed or non-rotary gear I I and which gear has connected therewith 25 an annulus l2 having an arcuate bearing concavity |3 on its outer face, the inner end portion of the annulus being mounted in a recess M formed in the outer end of the fixed gear H and being secured against rotation by splines l5.

The propeller further includes a sectional hub structure made up of inner and outer mating casing sections,which sections are generally designated by the reference characters l6 and I1, and which sections are secured together in any desired manner but as illustrated by way of example, the sectidns are provided with complementary flanges I8 and I9 through which bolts 20 extend. The hub structurecomprises a hollow generally cylindrical central'casing portion 40 2| having its axis concentric to the axis of the propeller shaft Ill. The hub structure further includes a plurality of hollow cylindrical casing members 22, two being shown in the present instance, but it is to be understood that more than 45 portion 2|, the members 22 being in open com@- munication at their inner ends with the central portion 2|. The outer end wall 23 of the central portion 2| of the hub structure is provided with an axial bore 24, through which the outer end of the propeller shaft ll extends and with which it is connected for rotation therewith by splines or equivalent means so that the hub is driven by and turned with the propeller shaft. The.

outer end ofthe shaft is threaded at 20 and a nut 21 is threadedly engaged therein. The inner face of the outer end wall 23 is formed with an arcuate bearing concavity 28 confronting the bearing concavity it of the annulus i2 and so located with reference thereto-that the arcs of said concavities l3 and 28' are struck from a common center located at the intersection of the axes of the propeller shaft II and the axial line passing through the members 22. The fixed gear ll extends-through an opening 2! in the rear end wall 30 of the central portion 2| ofthe hub structure and a suitable roller or anti-friction bearing 3| is interposed between the hub structure and the fixed gear at this point.

The arcuate bearing concavities I3 and II are of semi-spherical formation and have mounted therebetween for universal rocking movement, a spherical element or ball which is provided with a bore 33 through which the propeller shaft it extends, the bore having a constricted central diameter 34 approximating the diameter of the propeller shaft IO and the remaining opposite portions of the bore being of outwardly flared, frusto-conical formation and of increasing diameters towards the outer'ends of the bore which open through the periphery of the ball or spherical element 32. The ball or spherical element I2 is provided with diametrical oppositely protruding integral arms 35 having concentric sockets 36 opening through the outer ends and extending inwardly therefrom. The propeller blades 31, which may .be of any desired design, have shanks It at their inner ends, the terminals of which are fitted in the sockets 36 of the arms I! and are secured therein by keys 39. The shanks 30 are each formed with a substantially spherical bearing 40 which is snugly fitted in an eccentric bearing opening 4i in a rotary eccentric disc 42 which is preferably split or made up of mating semi-circular sections 43 and 44 to facilitate the assembly thereof. The eccentric discs are secured within the outer ends of cylindrical sleeves 45 for turning movement therewith and are secured thereto by splines 4C or an equivalent keying arrangement. The cylindrical sleeves 45 extend partially into annular bosses 41 which protrude outwardly from the members 22 of the hub structure and the axes of said sleeves coincide with the axes of the members 22. Anti-friction bearings 48 are interposed between a portion of each sleeve 45 and each member 22. The innermost ends of the sleeves 45 are each formed or otherwise provided with a beveled gear 4!, the teeth of which mesh with the beveled gear teeth 50 of the fixed gear Ii whereby upon-rotation of the propeller shaft II and the hub structure with reference to the fixed gear H, the gears 49 are caused to planet around the fixed gear ll so that the sleeves 4, while moving bodily with the hub structure and propeller shaft II, are caused to rotate on their own axes.

' with reference to the hub. This relative rotationof the sleeves imparts through the medium of eccentric discs 42 a relativeorbital movement of the propeller blades so that they travel in a substantially conical or gyratory path of movement. However. due to the bodily movement of the blades about the hub, anyseleeted point on .able by rotation of the shaft the blades will move in a succession of contiguous arcs, while due to the forward movement of the craft on which the propeller is mounted, the succession of contiguous arcs in which the blades. are travelling will follow a generally spiral path. 5

The non-rotary gear H may be anchored in any desired manner to a fixed support but in the embodiment illustrated, the protruding rear end of the gear is secured by splines ii to a flange 52 which in turn is bolted as at 53 to the nose 10 or forward end of the fuselage or to amotor casing or other equivalent support 84. In order to secure the gear and flange in assembled relation, the rear terminal of the gear II which protrudes from the flange 52 is externally threaded as at 15 ii and a lock nut Ii is applied thereto.

Due to this construction and arrangement, it will be apparent that one propeller'blade 31 will follow a path further removed from the wake of the preceding blade than in propellers having :0 fixed radial blades, so as to be less affected by the turbulence or disturbance thereof and hence the blades will act upon a denser medium so as to impart a more efi'ectiv'e or sufficient propulsive force than where the blades follow in the wake g5 ofeach other. Furthermore, due to the movement and action of the blades a substantially continuous'and uniformly effective propelling thrust will be exerted throughout the entire cycle of movement of each blade.

What is claimed. is: I v

1. A propelling device including a rotary driven shaft, a hub secured thereto, c'ircumferentially spaced blades mounted on the hub and protruding in generally radial directions therefrom, and 86 coacting means for imparting gyratory motion to the blades during the rotation of the shaft and hub so as to cause any point on each blade to travel in a succession of contiguous arcs and in a generally spiral path due to the combined 40 gyratory motion of the blades and the forward movement of the device.

2. A propelling device including a rotary driven shaft, a hub secured thereto, circumferentlally spaced blades mounted on and protruding from 45 the hub in generally radial directions and coacting means on the hub and on a fixed element for causing the blades to travel in a conical path with reference to the hub while rotating bodily therewith. 50

3. A propelling device including a hub, circumferentially spaced blades carried by and protruding from the hub, a rotary-driven shaft operatively connected with the hub for imparting rotational movement to the hub and turning of 65 the-blades therewith around the axis of the shaft and coacting means for causing the blades to travel in conical paths with reference to the hub while rotating therewith.

4. A propelling device including a hub, circo cumferentially spaced blades carried by and'protruding from the hub, a rotary driven shaft operatively connected with the hub for imparting rotational movement to the hub and turningof I the blades therewith around the axis of the shaft 55 and coacting means for causing the blades to travel in conical paths on axes perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the shaft and hub and with reference to the hub while bodily rotating therewith 7o 5. A propelling device including a driven rotary shaft, blades carried by the shaft for bodily rotational movement therewith, andmeans operfor imparting an orbital movement of the blades .with reference 7' to the shaft while the blades are rotating bodily therewith. g

6. A propelling device including a driven rotary shaft, blades carried by the shaft for bodily turning movement in a circular path with and about the shaft, and means for causing the blades to move in a gyratory pathwith reference to the shaft and on axes perpendicular to the axis of the shaft.

7. A propelling device including a driven rotary shaft, a plurality of blades carried by the shaft for limited universal rocking movement with reference thereto and protruding from the shaft in generally radial directions and means operable by rotation of the shaftfor causing the blades to turn 'with and annularly around the axis of the shaft and for causing said blades each to move around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the shaft and at an angle to said perpendicular axis.

8. A propelling device including a driven rotary shaft, a blade supporting unit mounted on the shaft for limited universal rocking movement with reference thereto, blades carried by said unit extending therefrom in generally radial directions with reference to the axis of the shaft and means operable by rotation of the shaft for causing the blades to turn with and annularly around the axis of the shaft and for causing the same to each move in a conical path around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the shaft.

9. A propelling device including a driven rotary shaft, a blade supporting unit comprising a spherical central portion and radial socketed arms, and means for mounting said unit for limited universal rocking movement with reference to the shaft, blades having shanks mounted and securedin said arms and means operable by rotation of the shaft for causing the blade supporting unit and blades to turn with. and annularly around the axis of the shaft and for causing said blades each to move in a conical path around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the shaft.

10. A propelling device including a driven rotary shaft, a blade supporting unit comprising a spherical central portion and radial socketed arms, and means for mounting said unit for limited universal rocking movement with reference to the shaft, blades having shanks mounted and secured in said arms and means operable by rotation of the shaft for causing the blade supporting unit and blades to turn with 5 and annularly around the axis of the shaft and for causing said blades each to move around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the shaft and in a conical path with reference to said' perpendicular axis. 1

11. A propelling device including a driven rotary shaft, a plurality of blades carried by the shaft for limited universal rocking movement -with reference thereto and protruding in a generally radial direction therefrom, a hub secured 15 to said shaft for rotation therewith, means located in the hub and operably connected with the blades for causing the same to turn with and annularly around the axis of the .shaft and for causing said blades to each move around 0 an axis perpendicular to the shaft axis. f

'12.,A propelling device including a driven rotary shaft, a hub secured to the shaft for rotation therewith, a gear concentric to and fixed with reference to the shaft and the axis of 25 rotation of the hub, circumferentially spaced blades protruding in a generally radial direction through the hub,an eccentric for each blade mounted to turn in the hub on radial axes perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the shaft and hub,,and planetary gears meshing with the fixed gear and connected with the eccentrics for turning the same upon rotation of the shaft and hub.

13. A propelling device including a rotary 5 driven shaft, blades for bodily turning therewith annularly around the axis of the shaft and means for imparting an orbital movement to the blades around an axis perpendicular to the shaft axis while turning with the shaft. 0

14. A propelling device including a blade having a shank at the inner end thereof, means for mounting the free inner terminal of the shank for universal movement, and an eccentric spaced from said inner terminal of the shank for im- 5 parting motion to the blade to cause the same to travel in a conical path.

EARL HOUSER SMITH. 

